Q&A with Utah Jazz forward Tyler Cavanaugh
By Josh Padmore
Tyler Cavanaugh signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz in August. The second-year forward was kind enough to let me ask him some questions about joining the Jazz.
Utah Jazz fans should be excited about adding Tyler Cavanaugh to the roster. Every team is always searching for a stretch-four, and that’s exactly what Cavanaugh is. At six-foot-nine, Cavanaugh’s shot is pure. He shot a rock solid 36 percent from deep last season as a member of the Atlanta Hawks.
Cavanaugh went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft after playing four years of college basketball at Wake Forest and George Washington. The Hawks were one of the worst teams in the NBA last season, which led to a lot of playing time for the younger guys, including Cavanaugh. That stint in Atlanta definitely set him up for this next part of his career in Utah.
Getting into the Q&A, I asked Tyler a total of five questions. He’s busy preparing for the season, so I didn’t want to hinder him with a boat load of questions. I’d like to thank Tyler for being more than willing to answer the questions I had for him. With that being said, let’s get started.
Q: You spent your rookie year in Atlanta under coach Mike Budenholzer. Quin Snyder comes from the Hawks organization and is very similar to Coach Bud. They both preach moving the ball, in particular. How excited are you to play under Coach Snyder and do you see any similarities between him and Coach Bud?
A: I’m very excited for the opportunity with the Jazz organization. I’ve heard great things and in my short time here have been very impressed with how everything is run. The system Coach Snyder runs is similar to Coach Bud and I am eager to help any way I can. Continue to learn and grow within the system is my goal.
Q: You got your two-way contract with Atlanta converted into a standard NBA contract last season. Does that give you confidence that the same could happen this year with the Jazz?
A: It’s obviously a much different situation here in Utah than it was in Atlanta, so I am just focused on improving each and every day regardless of if I’m with the Jazz or Stars. I’m excited to be part of a playoff team and learn from the veteran guys on the team.
Q: Who did you learn the most from in Atlanta? The Hawks obviously weren’t very successful, but I always appreciated the fact that they played hard and competed every single night. That takes character.
A: I learned a lot from all the veterans about just controlling what you can control and going out and competing every night. Mike Muscala and Ersan Ilyasova were two guys I learned a lot from just because they play my position and I was able to watch them both a lot. Just how they handle themselves in a professional manner every day.
Q: Did you happen to watch any Jazz playoff games this year? How deep do you think they can go this time around?
A: I watched a few of the playoff games last year and I think the sky is the limit for this team. I’m eager to see how far we can go.
Q: Can you tell Jazz fans who may not be familiar with you about your game and what you like to do on the court?
A: I am a stretch four big who can step away from the hoop and shoot threes, but I also like to mix it up inside. I pride myself on playing hard every time I am on the floor.
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Again, I would like to thank Tyler for taking the time to sit down and answer some of my questions. I look forward to doing more of these Q&A’s in the future. Good luck to Tyler for the upcoming season. It’ll be exciting to see him develop under the Jazz’s watch.